Among them former SEF director
Portugal’s public prosecutor’s office (MP) has charged five more defendants in a new case related to the hideous death of Ukrainian citizen Ihor Homeniuk in March 2020.
Among the five is the former director of the immigration and border service (SEF) António Sérgio Henriques – who was removed from his post by the interior ministry on March 30, 2020.
Henriques is cited for “denial of justice and prevarication”, while SEF inspectors João Agostinho and Maria Vieira are accused of negligent homicide by omission.
Airport security guards Manuel Correia and Paulo Marcelo are charged with kidnapping and unlawful exercise of private security activity.
According to the public prosecutor, all five acted “with the intention of concealing the fact that inspectors Duarte Laja, Bruno Sousa and Luís Silva handcuffed Ihor Homeniuk with both hands behind his back and left him in that position between 08:40 and 16:40“.
“By their silence and inaction, they prevented the immobilisation of Ihor Homeniuk (…) from coming to the attention of the shift inspector” so that he would end the handcuffing as soon as the immobilisation was unnecessary.
Says Lusa today, the public prosecutor argues that “had he done so in a timely manner, the death of Ihor Homeniuk would probably not have occurred.”
This has been one of the most dismal episodes in SEF’s history, and has seen the Portuguese government indemnify Igor Homeniuk’s family with over €800,000.
The three SEF inspectors found guilty of “aggravated assault against serious physical integrity” are all serving jail sentences of nine years.
